1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for smoothing laundry items and a method for smoothing articles of clothing (14) in a tunnel finisher, the articles of clothing (14) being transported in the transporting direction (13) through an admission chamber (11), a treatment chamber (10) and a discharge chamber (12) of the tunnel finisher. Furthermore, the invention relates to a tunnel finisher for smoothing articles of clothing, with an admission chamber (11) having an admission opening (15), a treatment chamber (10) and a discharge chamber (12) having a discharge opening (16).
2. Related Art
Tunnel finishers serve to smooth articles of clothing using hot steam and/or hot air. The articles of clothing are transported continuously through the tunnel finisher, preferably hanging on transporting hangers.
Scarcely any measures have been taken in the tunnel finishers known hitherto in order to reduce the energy requirement. Due to constantly increasing energy costs, there is now an endeavor to keep the energy requirement of tunnel finishers as low as possible.
In the case of conventional tunnel finishers, warm or hot air, in particular spray steam, exits at the admission and discharge openings of the admission and discharge chambers, the chambers becoming useless as a result.
Finally, during the smoothing of articles of clothing, with tunnel finishers, problems have arisen with residual moisture in points which are difficult to access or in multi-layered parts, for example hems, of articles of clothing. Said points or parts are not dry when the articles of clothing leave the tunnel finisher. In order to eliminate this problem, high temperatures have been used in particular in the after treatment zone at the end of the tunnel finisher. This leads to an adverse effect on the articles of clothing. In the case of sensitive materials, this may result in overheating, discoloration or even in burning of the fabric.